Safety electrical circuit-breaker.



W F. WOOHER, R.'L. LEMON & L. H. MORTSOLP.

SAFETY ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT- BREAKER.

APPLICATION FILED 11.25, 1903. v Patented Nov. 23, 1909.

EN TORS'.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

v. INV

ATTORNEY.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

WILLIAM F. WOCHER, ROBERT L. LEMON, AND LOUIS H. MOR'I'SOLF, 0F INDIANAPOLIS, I

INDIANA.

SAFETY ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT-BREAKER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed Apr-i1 25, 1908. Serial No. 429,141.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that We, WILLIAM F. \Vocnnn, ROBERT L. Linton, and 'LQUIS II. .MoirrsoLr, citizens of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Ma; rion and. State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety Electrical Circuit-Breakers; and we do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification. I

This invention relates to devices for either making or breaking electrical circuits and preventing unauthorized persons from connecti g the circuits when broken intentionally, the invention having'reference particularly to devices whereby ele'ctrical circuits may be broken and the circuit-breaker securely locked, and the invention has reference especially to a system of wiring and devices associated with the sparking-circuit of an automobile engine whereby when the circuit is brokenintentionally the circuit is automatically grounded so that an attempt to hurriedly connect a wire to make a circuit around the circuit breaker will be defeated. 7

The object of the invention is to provide a safety electrical-circuit breaker for electrical circuits, and particularly for automobiles in which a sparking-circuit is required for the explosive-engines,so that when. the owner of the automobile or similar vehicle leaves itstanding in a public place, he may efl'ectually disable it by breaking the sparkingcircuit so that no unauthorized person could temporarily complete the circuitwithout seriously damaging the apparatus.

The invention consists in an improved circuit-breaker and automatic key-locking devices therefor and also a novel electric-circuit in connection therewith, including an inaccessible grounded wire to be connected automatically when the normal circuit is broken; and the invention consists still further in the novel parts and combinations and arrangements of parts, as hereinafter particularly described and defined in the claims appended hereto.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective'view of an automobile body of the type of vehicle in which ex- Patented Nov. 23, 1909.

plosive-engines are employed and showing the spark-oil casing thereon with which the present improvements are associated; Fig. 2,

a fragmentary plan of the automobile frame circuit-breaker separate from the spark-coil casing; Fig. 6, a sectional view of the circuit-breaker and its lock separate from the housing thereof on the line B B in Fig. 5; Fig. 7 .a rear elevation of the circuitbreaker omitting several parts thereof; Fig. 8, a -fragmentary rear elevation in which also several parts are omitted for the sake of clearness; Fig. 9, a fragmentary rear elevation showing the connector in a position different from that shown in Fig. 7 Fig. 10, a perspective view of the switch for connecting or disconnecting the battery and the magneto; F ig. 11, a perspective view of the circuit-connector arm, and Fig. 12, a perspective view of the connector arm attached to its operating spindle andbutton.

Similar reference characters in the diflerent figures of the drawings designate like mobile and in connection with a single sparkcoil, and it is obvious that any suitable number of spark-coils may be used as usual.

In the drawings the numeral 1 designates the body of the vehicle; 2, the frame of the vehicle; 3 and 3, the two cylinders of an explosive-engine; 4, the gasolene-tank; 5, the driving-shaft of the engine; 6, the balancewheel of the engine; 7, a counter-shaft connected by a sprocket-chain 8 to the mainshaft 5 of the engine, and 9 and 9, the driving-chains connected with the counter-shaft 7. The automobile is provided'as usual with a sparking-battery 10 and a magneto 11 for supplying the sparking current, the sparkplugs being designated by the numerals 12 and 12.

The numeral 13 designates the dash-board of the vehicle and in the present case is assumed to be metallic and having connection with the vehicle-frame. The circuit-breaker is mounted on the front 14.- of the casing 15 of the spark-coil, the casin having a cap 14; thereon and is providet as usual with .ears 16 whereby the casing is attached to the dashboard. The front let has two bindingposts 17 and 17 thereon, the former post having -a circuit-wire 18 connected thereto and also connected with the magneto 11, and the latter post having a wire 18 connected therewith and also with the battery 10, there being a wire 19 connecting the battery with the magneto and having a branch 19 connected with the frame 2 represented diagrammatically by ground 20 whiclnas will be understood is intended merely as symbolic of the ,whole vehicle frame as an electrical conductor. The spark-coil 21 is arranged in a suitable inclosure 22 and mounted as usual in its casing 15, and one end of the secondary winding of the coil is connected by a wire with the spark-plugs l2 and 12' of the engine, the engine being usually provided with a timing make and break device 2& usually having direct electrical connection with the engine mechanism and consequently with the frame or connected by a wire 25, there being a circuit-wire 26 extending from the make and break device to the stationary contact device'27 of the vibrator 28 with which the spark-coil is usually provided, the inelosure of the spark-coil usually having a. binding-post 29 connected to the topthereof. One end of the prin'iarywinding of the coil is connected by a wire 30 with the vibrator 2S and the other end of the.primary-winding is connected by wire 30' to the binding-post 29. .Other wiring in connection with the coil requires no description, being understood by those skilled in the art.

The improved circuit-breaker comprises a housing-box 31 that is securedin a suitableopening in the front 1 of the spark-coil c; ing, the housin having a flange 31 engaging the inner side of the front and serving as a securing means. The housing comprises a front member 32, which is composed of suitable non-conducting material, and designed to fit in the housing-box to which it is secured by means of threaded holes 3?, (as in Fig. (3,) in the edge of the housing front, and screws 34 inserted in the holes and through the wall of the housing-box before the housing is attached to the front 14. On

the inner side of the housing-front 32 two contact-plates 35 and 35- are mounted. one being connected by a wire 36 with the binding-post 17 and the. other one connected by a wire 86 with the binding-post 17; another contact-plate or conducting element 37 is mounted on the inner side of the hous ing-front'32 and is connected by a wire 38 with the binding-post 29. A hollow shaft 39 is mounted rotatively in the housingfront 32 so as to extend therethrough and has a conducting switch-blade 40 on the inner end thereof to be moved into connection and form part of an electrical circuit with either one of the plates 35 or A connector shaft &1 is mounted rotatn ely in the hollow shaft and extends theretln'ough and it preferably is a conductor and it has a conducting connector-arm 42 mounted thereon to be moved into contact with the plate 37, or to be disconnected therefrom. The arm 42 has a shoulder 43 at the swinging end thereof.

pointer M is carried on the oiiter end of the shaft 89, the shaft being movable for shifting the switch-blade 40 by means of handles 45, and the shaft 41 is provided with an operating button or handle 46 that is arranged forward of the handles 45. The position of the switch-blade 40 maybe known by reference to numerals as at 47 and 48 on the outer surface of the housing-front 32, as is customary. The switch-blade 4-0 is constantly in electrical contact with the arm 42 and they are preferably electrically connected also by means of the shaft 41. A coil-spring d9 preferably is employed that is connected to the shaft 41 and is sealed against the housing box 31 for holding the arm 42 in contact with the switch-blade 40.

The contact-plate 37 being one conducting element with which the sparking circuit is normally completed by the conducting connector-arm a2, the circuit to be broken by disconnecting the connector arm from the contact-plate. the other one of the necessary two conducting elements with which the connector-arm 42 must be connected to complete the circuit with the circuit wires comprises the switch-blade 4.0 when employed, or the shaft ll which obviously may be connected with a circuit wire otherwise than by means of the switch-blade 40, the switclr blade not being required when only one type of battery is employed; or with one battery only, the switch blade 40 may be stationary in constant connection with the battery wire.

A ltwk-case 50 is mounted on the inner side of the housing-front 32 and has a lockbolt 51 mounted movably therein and normally pressed by a spring 52 toward or against the connector arm 42 so as to autoinat' rally engage the shoulder 43 when the arm is moved away from the contact-plate :37 as app aring in Fig. 7. The latch-bolt has a shoulder 53 engaged by a cam at mounted on the barrel of the lock which may be moved rotatively in its housing 56, but is normally prevented from moving by the pins 57, the lock being of well known construction and operated by a peculiar type of key 58, so that there would be little probability of any one but the owner having a. key whereby the lock might be operated to release the connector-arm 42 which, when released, is forced by a spring 59 into engagement with the contact-plate '37, or a suitable spring may be otherwise arranged if pre ferred. The contact-plate 37 has a connector-block 60 attached thereto or into grally formed therewith to which a springarni 61 or connecting device is attachedlto form an electrical connection. A bindingblock 62 is mounted on the inner side of the tends through ordinarily inaccessible channels to a ground 65, which may suitably be the dash-board 18 or connected thereto at the rear of the spark-coil casing, so that the w1re 6,4 cannot be tampered with ordinarily, and in most cases may be placed by individual owners in secret passages so that it may not be found by a-ny person' contem plating quick theft. of the automobile. The tail-end of the arm 42 has a pushbar 66 attached theretothat is composed of suitable non-coiulucting material or obviously may be insulated from the arm, the arm being normally opposite, but not in contact with tlieconnecting device 61. When the shaft 41 is turned so as to disconnect the. arm 42 from the plate 87 to be locked by the lockbolt 51, the push-bar 66 engages the spring arm 61 and pushes it into connection with the plate 63, thus establishing a circuit between the wire 38 and .the wire 64, thus 40' grounding the battery or magneto circuit and toiling any attempt that might be made to connect the circuit for practical use after having been broken by withdrawal of the connector-arm 42 from the contact pla-te 37. It should be understood that the circuit connector or breaker and the grounding devices herein described may be variously constructed in detail, and changes within the scope of the appended claims are'conte'mplated. Y

In practical use the switch-blade 40 may be manipulated in the usual manner and the connector-arm i2 will be normally in contact with the plate 37 as shown in Fig. 9, and when it is desired to disable the automobile the handle 46 will be turned so as to break the circuit as above described, so that the arm 42 will be automatically locked by the lock-bolt 51 without requiring any other niani 'iulations. hen it is again desired to establish the normal sparking circuit the key will be used to withdraw the lock-bolt 51, permitting the spring 59 to force the arm 42 again into engagement with the plate 37, the same operations causing the push-bar 66 to be withdrawn sufficiently to permitthe connecting device 61 to spring away from the plate 63 and thus break the ground connect-ion.

Having'thus described the invention what is claimed as new, is-

1. A safety electrical circuit-breaker including an inclosing housing, two separate electrical conducting elements mounted in the housing, a grounded wire extending into the housing and provided therein with a cmitact-element. a movable conducting connector mounted in the housing and normally in connection with the two conducting ele ments to form a circuit, the connector being movable away from one of the two elements to break the circuit, means controlled by the conducting connector for automatically connecting one of the two conducting elements electrically with the grounded wire contact element when the conducting connector is moved from one of the two conducting elements to break the circuit, and locking means in the housing automatically acting, when the circuit is broken and ground connection made, to prevent restoration of the circuit and maintain the ground connection.

safety electricalcircuit-breaker including an inclosing housing, a hollow shaft mounted rotatively in the housing and extending through the wallthereof; an inner shaft mounted rotativcly in the hollow shaft and extending therethrough a conducting element mounted in the housing, a conducting arm mounted on the inner shaft and spring-pressed normally in connectionwith the conducting element and movable there from by the inner shaft, a locking device mounted movably in the housing for holding the arm when moved away from the conducting element, means for controlling the locking device, two contactplates mounted in the housing, a switch-blade connected to the hollow shaft and movable thereby to either one of the contact-plates.v and means for electrically connecting the arm with the switch-blade.

3. A safety electrical circuit-breaker including a housing, two separate electrical conducting elements mounted in the housing. a movable conducting connector mounted in the housing and normally in connection with the two elements to form a circuit. the connector being movable away from one of the elements to break the circuit. means for moving the connector. amovable locking de vice mounted in the housing to engage and hold the connector when moved away from one of the elements, means for moving the locking device to the connector, means for retracting the locking device, a conducting ground-wire contact-element mounted in the housing, and means controlled by the movable conducting connector for automatically connecting one of the two conducting elements'elcctrically with the ground-wire contact-element when the locking device is holding the connector awav from one of the conducting elcn'ients.

4-. A safety electrical circuit-breaker including a housing, two electrical conducting elements mounted in the housing and hidden thereby, a conducting connector mounted inaccessibly in the housing and normally in connection with the two elements, the connector being movable away From one of the conducting elements and provided with an operating device extending acccssibly through the housing wall. a spring to move the connector to connect the two elements, a lock-bolt mounted in the housing to engage and hold the connector when the connector is disconnected from oneot' the two elements. a spring normally pressing the lock-bolt to the connector, means for retracting the lock-bolt, a grounded wire provided with a contact-element, and a connecting device for connecting one of the two conducting elements with the contact-element of the grounded wire and controlled by the conducting connector dur ing its movements.

A safety electrical circuit-breaker including a housing. two separate electrical conducting elements mounted in the housing, a conducting ground-wire contact-element mounted in the housing, a conducting conuector mounted in the housing and normally in connection with the two conducting elements, the connector being movable away from one of the two elements, a connecting device mounted in the housing for connecting one of the two conducting elements electrically with the ground-wire contact-element, means on the conducting connector for controlling the connecting device, a movable locking device mounted in the housing and acting to hold the conductin connector away from one of the two conthicting elements when moved therefrom, the locking device acting also to hold the connecting device when connecting one of the two conducting elements with the ground-Wire contact-element, and means for moving' the locking device.

(S. A safety electrical circuit-breaker including a housing, two separate electrical conducting elements mounted in the housing,

a conducting ground-wire contact-element mounted in the housing, a conducting connector mounted in thehousing and normally in connection with the two conducting elemeuts. the connector being movable away from one of the two elements, a connecting device mounted in the housing and automatically connecting one, of the two conducting elements clectrically with the ground-.wire contact-element when the conducting connector is moved away from one of the two conducting elements, a movable locking device mounted in the housing and automatically acting to hold the conducting connector :1 ay from one of the two conducting element's when moved therefrom, the locking device automatically acting also to hold the connecting device when connecting one of the two conducting elements with the groimd-wire contact-element, movable lock nwchanism barring access to the locking device, and means for operating the lock mechanism and retracting the locking device.

7. A safety electrical circuit-breaker including an inclosing housing, a hollow shaft mounted rotatively in the housing and extending through the wall thereof, an inner shaft mounted rotatively in the hollow shaft and extending therethrough, a conducting element mounted in the housing, a conducting arm mounted .on the inner shaft and spring-pressed normally in connection with the conducting element and movable therefrom by the shaft, a conducting ground-wire contact element mounted in the housing, a connecting device mounted in the housing and automatically operating to connect the conducting element electrically with the ground-wire contact-element when the arm is moved from the conducting element, a locking device mounted movably in the housing and spring-pressed into engagement with and holding the arm when moved away from the conducting element, the locking device also acting to hold the connecting device when connecting the conducting element with the ground-wire contact-element, means for retracting the locking device, two contact-plates mounted in the housing, a switchblade connected to the hollow shaft and movable thereby to either one of the contactplates, and means for electrically connecting 

